Jun 4 2014
Ferrarisite is a triclinic-pinacoidal mineral, consisting of oxygen, hydrogen, calcium, and arsenic.
It was named after Professor Giovanni Ferraris, who worked on the crystal structures of various arsenate minerals.
Properties of Ferrarisite
The following are the key properties of Ferrarisite:
- Cell Data
- Space Group: P1
- a = 8.294(4)
- b = 6.722(3)
- c = 11.198(5)
- α= 106.16(4)°
- β = 92.94(4)°
- γ = 99.20(4)°
- Z = 1
- Crystal Data
- Triclinic
- Point Group: 1
- Crystals, flattened on {110}, slightly elongated along [110], with pseudohexagonal outline, to 300µm
- X-ray powder pattern: 10.81 (10), 2.831 (9), 3.170 (8), 4.07 (4), 3.573 (4), 6.34 (3), 5.36 (3)
- Chemical Composition
| Elements |
Content 1 |
Content 2 |
| As2O5 |
49.3 |
49.95 |
| CaO |
30.6 |
30.47 |
| MgO |
0.52 |
|
| H2O |
19.4 |
19.58 |
| Total |
99.8 |
100.00 |
- Optical Properties
- Optical Class: Biaxial (+)
- Orientation: X ^ c = 17°
- Z ⊥ {110}
- Dispersion: Strong
- α = 1.562(2)
- β = 1.572(2)
- γ = 1.585(2)
- 2V(meas.) = ?90°
- 2V(calc.) = 83°
- Estimated Properties
| Electron density |
Bulk density (electron density) = 2.57 g/cm3
Note: Specific gravity of Ferrarisite = 2.60 g/cm3 |
| Photoelectric |
PEFerrarisite = 1.07 barns/electron
U = PEFerrarisite x ρElectron density = 2.75 barns/cm3 |
| Fermion index |
Fermion index = 0.16
Boson index = 0.84 |
Radioactivity
|
Ferrarisite is not radioactive
|
How to Identify Ferrarisite
Ferrarisite is white in color or colorless. It has a transparent luster, a white streak, and a perfect cleavage.
The density of ferrarisite is 2.63 g/cm3.
Global Distribution
Ferrarisite is distributed in the following places:
- Gabe-Gottes mine, Rauenthal, near Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Haut-Rhin
- Duranus, Alpes-Maritimes, France
- Anton mine, Heubachtal near Schiltach, Wittichen, Germany
- Black Forest, in the Bauhaus district
- Richelsdorf Mountains, Hesse
- Ramsbeck, North Rhein-Westphalia
Occurrence of Ferrarisite and Useful Mineral Association
Ferrarisite occurs as a post-mine, low-temperature reaction product of carbonate gangue, having arsenical solutions derived from arsenic.
References